MS is finally listening to users. They could have avoided a lot of criticism from the start by just getting all of this in the first release of windows 8. The main point is that they are finally making "improvements". One thing I don't understand is why they are forcing the latest version of IE. They are forcing users to find another browser.

Whether or not you like Windows 8x or even Microsoft, this newest update, with its obvious shift back in the direction of non-touch, demonstrates that they are listening to customer feedback. From some of the comments, it sounds like some folks might be happier if they left the broken / fragmented original version of Windows 8 intact rather than put efforts into building in customer feedback.

I've only been a Windows 8.1 and 8.1 Update user for about a week. I was waiting until that first major update came out. For the naysayers, Vista with SP 1 was a very solid product. Feedback was received and incorporated. From my limited use of Windows 8.1 so far, I can say that the touch features are handy on my new Dell Precision notebook with a touch screen. It also boots about 20 times faster than Windows 7 on the same machine. I'll give Microsoft solid marks for recognizing the issue and addressing some of the concerns and complaints from its customers.

I'd say this is a very logical and fair assessment of this update. 8.1 Update is clearly better for keyboard and mouse users accustomed to the nearly 20 year old UI introduced in Windows 95. And while not the most elegant OS, the level of flexibility and capability is through the roof. 8.1 Update can effectively run on a mobile device with the same level of hardware a base iPad all to the fastest and most powerful desktops around. Adding back the Start Menu will only increase the incredible about of functionality. You speak of having lots of money and buying separate devices. And there you have hit to purpose of Windows 8. Why not spend less money for one device that can do what otherwise would require two devices?

The majority of the changes that have been introduced since 8.0 RTM have been additive mostly in the form of new configuration options or naturally occurring behavioral changes based on the input type. In fact most of the changes introduced have been for the specific purpose of NOT having to relearn anything for keyboard and mouse users while keeping touch behavrior the same. Modern apps in the task, a title bar with close and minimize buttons, defaulting to desktop apps instead of modern apps for mouse driven devices, all of these a major changes in this update that require zero relearning, they are simply making things more consistent for desktop users in a fashion that they've see for decades.

It is getting better, but nothing in the Win8.1Update makes me want to give up Win7 on the desktop. Still too much of a learning curve for the existing Win7 customer base and I'm sure most corporations feel the same. Most will be glad they skipped Win8 just as most were glad they skipped Vista. Bandaids don't help when the wound needs surgery to fix. Plus I'm not so sure a "kinder and gentler" Nadella-Myerson duo is going to do better but at the same time they've got to try very hard to do worse.

I'm not questioning that W8.1 Update is a big improvement. My comment addressed the volatility of the UI. Microsoft seems to think that the W8 user base has nothing better to do than keep relearning how to use its product, and probably with no end in sight.

Sheer arrogance heaped upon the incompetence of their initial design decisions.

I stand by the assertion that Windows 8.1 Update is the best version of Windows 8-- but I admit, I toyed with a paragraph along these lines: "Windows 8.1 Update offers the best blend yet of Windows Store and legacy apps, but to the OS's critics, that might not mean much; Windows 8 set the bar pretty low." I didn't end up including the passage, but it seems from the comments so far that concept resonates with some of our readers.

To be fair, I think Windows 8.1 Update is fine. It could be better-- and I think Microsoft showed at Build that it will be, whether in another 8.x update or Windows 9. But I find the update very usable. It's definitely made me more productive than I was with Windows 8.1, and it's miles ahead of Windows 8, which I found to be more trouble than it was worth. If money were no object, I'd probably still buy a MacBook Pro instead of a new Windows PC, and then just deal with a separate tablet if I wanted to touch. And if money were a definite object, I'd have to think long and hard about the merits of Chromebooks versus cheaper Windows devices. But I think it's obvious by now that all major computing platforms have merits and disadvantages. Windows 8 was a mess, and Microsoft is still cleaning it up, but by and large, Windows 8.1 Update is pretty good.

But for a lot of people, Windows 8.1 Update's improved usability might not mean much. A lot of people consider Windows XP usable, as you point out. Microsoft reportedly had to dramatically reduce the cost of extended XP service for some larger enterprise customers, so I think the current Microsoft leadership appreciates that a lot of customers simply haven't felt incentivized to upgrade.

Satya Nadella and Microsoft have been riding a hot streak the last few weeks. But they'll face challenges over the next couple. First, they'll announce earnings, and even though revenue will surely be massive, analysts will pay attention to several potential weak spots-- Surface sales, Windows revenue (especially commercial revenue, which will speak to post-XP retention), enterprise and cloud revenue (which will surely grow-- but now that Microsoft is giving away a lot of its Windows licenses, will Azure, MySQL, Office 365 et al grow fast enough?); etc. And then we'll get the OS market share reports around May 1, which will further speak to post-XP fallout, as well as Windows 8.1 Update adoption. So for those who are annoyed with Microsoft, the company will have to answer some tough questions soon.

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